Microsoft Targets Spotify, iTunes Via Xbox Music

Microsoft teased a new Xbox 360 music service at the E3 conference early this month, but details of the system are now surfacing.

Microsoft is reportedly planning an expansive Xbox streaming music feature, with download, streaming, and online storage functions similar to iTunes and Spotify.

As reported by Bloomberg, Microsoft is in talks with Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony, and EMI.

The streaming option would be available on a monthly or annual basis, while saved content would be available via the cloud on various devices, Bloomberg said.

Microsoft announced plans for a new Xbox 360 music service at the E3 conference earlier this month, but released few details about what that service would entail. Bloomberg said the company had not yet secured label deals.

On its Zune website, Microsoft said it will be "using our expertise from Zune to launch a brand-new music service under the Xbox Music brand, [which] will bring you a world-class music library, and great new ways to enjoy, share and discover new music."

Microsoft retired the Zune last year. Xbox Music will be available on Xbox 360, Windows Phones, and Windows 8 PCs and tablets, which are not expected to debut until the fall.

Stephanie began as a PCMag reporter in May 2012. She moved to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) with a degree in journalism and mass communications.
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